Not forgetting, however, to point out to Jack that his failure was a direct contradiction to the proverb which he, Jack, was constantly thrusting down his throat, namely, that "where there's a will there's a way." For he had a great will to become a cook, but could by no means find a way to accomplish that end.
One day, while Peterkin and I were seated beside our table on which dinner was spread, Jack came up from the beach, and, flinging down his axe, exclaimed,-- "There, lads, the boat's finished at last! so we've nothing to do now but shape two pair of oars, and then we may put to sea as soon as we like." This piece of news threw us into a state of great joy; for although we were aware that the boat had been gradually getting near its completion, it had taken so long that we did not expect it to be quite ready for at least two or three weeks.

But Jack had wrought hard and said nothing, in order to surprise us.
"My dear fellow," cried Peterkin, "you're a perfect trump.

But why did you not tell us it was so nearly ready?
won't we have a jolly sail to- morrow?
eh ?" "Don't talk so much, Peterkin," said Jack; "and, pray, hand me a bit of that pig." "Certainly, my dear," cried Peterkin, seizing the axe; "what part will you have?
a leg, or a wing, or a piece of the breast; which ?" "A hind leg, if you please," answered Jack; "and, pray, be so good as to include the tail." "With all my heart," said Peterkin, exchanging the axe for his hoop-iron knife, with which he cut off the desired portion.

"I'm only too glad, my dear boy, to see that your appetite is so wholesale; and there's no chance whatever of its dwindling down into re-tail again, at least in so far as this pig is concerned.

Ralph, lad, why don't you laugh ?--eh ?" he added turning suddenly to me with a severe look of inquiry.
"Laugh ?" said I; "what at, Peterkin?
why should I laugh ?" Both Jack and Peterkin answered this inquiry by themselves laughing so immoderately that I was induced to believe I had missed noticing some good joke, so I begged that it might be explained to me; but as this only produced repeated roars of laughter, I smiled and helped myself to another slice of plantain.
"Well, but," continued Peterkin, "I was talking of a sail to-morrow.
Can't we have one, Jack ?" "No," replied Jack, "we can't have a sail, but I hope we shall have a row, as I intend to work hard at the oars this afternoon, and, if we can't get them finished by sunset we'll light our candle-nuts, and turn them out of hands before we turn into bed." "Very good," said Peterkin, tossing a lump of pork to the cat, who received it with a mew of satisfaction.